Wednesday, January 1, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
21
Commentary...
Battling light pollution with growth
By Ramsey Schar
Correspondent
People in Sisters have the
increasingly unique opportu-
nity of being able to gaze at
clear night skies full of stars.
However, with the local pop-
ulation rising, outdoor light-
ing needs to be implemented
in an intentional way so that
light bulbs are shielded by
opaque coverings that direct
the light down where it is
intended and hide the source
of the light (as is outlined
in the Sisters City Dark Sky
Standard and the Deschutes
County Lighting Ordinance).
Otherwise, increased light
pollution will obscure the
ability to see such a vast array
of stars, including the beauti-
ful Milky Way Galaxy, which
most people in the world are
now unable to see because
artificial lights wash out their
view of the night sky.
With civilization develop-
ing continuously, artificial
lighting has also increased,
causing light pollution.
Light pollution results from
human-sourced artificial
lighting, and is exacerbated
by lights that are misdirected,
pointing light out or up into
the air.
It creates p ro b lems
for humans and wildlife.
Currently, 80 percent of
Americans live under light-
polluted skies. This pol-
lution is growing at an
annual rate of more than
six percent in larger cities.
Even in darker areas like
Sisters, people see the light
domes of neighboring com-
munities on the horizon.
According to the
International Dark-Sky
Association, about 40 percent
of the light we use in the U.S.
is wasted by being directed
into the air. Excessive and
improper lighting threat-
ens our night-sky heritage,
disrupts our sleep patterns,
endangers nocturnal habitats,
wastes energy and money,
and decreases security.
However, unlike many forms
of pollution, light pollution
is easy to reduce, simply by
using appropriately directed
lighting, or turning off lights
when they are not needed.
In order to raise aware-
ness about the value of pre-
serving dark skies and the
issue of light pollution in our
community, the Sisters High
School Astronomy Club and
the Oregon International
Dark-Sky Association are
partnering to present a show-
ing of the documentary film
<Saving the Dark.= This
film will be showing free to
the public on Wednesday,
January 15, at Sisters Movie
House at 7 p.m.; doors open
at 6:30.
Saving the Dark focuses panel discussion, with spe-
on the need to preserve night cial guests representing dif-
skies and addresses ways ferent perspectives in our
to lower light pollution. In community. This question-
addition, it informs the audi- and-answer discussion will
ence about how to increase be held directly follow-
business and home security ing the film. Information
as well as overall safety at will also be available from
night with the use of effec- the International Dark-
tive outdoor lighting.
Sky Association, Sisters
The director of the film, Astronomy Club, and the
Sriram Murali, has shown Oregon Observatory. Paul
his passion for astronomy, Allen Bennett will also
night skies, and raising have his book <Night Skies=
awareness about light pollu- available for purchase.
tion through his
film. Sriram had
little exposure to
astronomy and
the issue of light
pollution grow-
ing up, which
is what inspired
him to make this
film. He created
it in collabora-
tion with the
International
D a r k - S k y
Association
(IDA) and is
devoted to help-
ing protect
our nighttime
environment.
The SHS
Astronomy Club
members hope
to encourage
dialogue about
how to main-
tain our dark
PHOTO BY KRIS KRISTOVICH
skies and reduce
light pollution Efforts to maintain dark skies over Sisters are
in our commu- critical to maintain views of the Milky Way Galaxy
nity through a over the Three Sisters.
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Astronomy Club to
screen ‘Saving the Dark’
The Sisters High School
Astronomy Club is partner-
ing with the International
Dark-Sky Association to put
on a showing of the docu-
mentary <Saving the Dark= at
the Sisters Movie House on
January 15 at 7 p.m.
This is a free event for
the public, and through this
film the club hopes to raise
awareness about the issue of
light pollution in the Sisters
community and introduce
new ways on how to reduce
it. The club will host a panel
discussion after the film in
order to hear what different
people from our community
have to say about this issue.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
In addition to the panel dis-
cussion, there will be music
and Paul Alan Bennett9s book
<Night Sky= will be available
for purchase.